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What will happen at Blue House?

A first look at proposals for radical changes to busy Newcastle junctions

The proposals for Blue House show a new roundabout built 50m north of the current roundabout, with more lanes and intelligent traffic signals to smooth traffic flow.

The council says that, by building a new junction on Town Moor land, they can increase capacity on the roundabout and include separate cycle lanes, bus lanes and improved pedestrian crossings in the new design.

On Jesmond Dene Road, the city’s oldest sets of traffic lights at the junctions with Osborne Road and Moorfield will be replaced and upgraded to modern, intelligent traffic signals.

A new pedestrian crossing will be put in place across Osborne Road at the junction to enable people to cross the road safely. In the hopes of improving the flow of traffic on this key corridor, right turns into Osborne Road from Blue House and Ilford Road from Haddricks Mill will be banned with alternative routes signposted.

The new proposals mean that some trees will be affected and will need to be removed. But the council plans to keep the existing tree-lined arrangement for future by doubling the number of trees around the junction.

And at Haddricks Mill?

A first look at proposals for radical changes to busy Newcastle junctions

For Haddricks Mill, the proposals are to increase the capacity of the junction by removing the double roundabout system and building a larger, priority roundabout.

The proposed design includes part-time signals to help the junction cope with high levels of demand from nearby employment sites at peak times.

Cycling facilities and pedestrian improvements will also be installed ensuring that people on foot and bikes have safe access across and around the junction.

What else is changing at Haddricks Mill?

The new junction will also change how motorists access Hunters Road, with no right turns allowed into Hunters Road from the direction of Freeman Road, Killingworth Road and Benton Road.

Hunters Road will be accessed from this direction by a new road running behind Station Road, which will include parking for residents and for shops on Station Road.

What’s happening on Killingworth Road?

The council proposes to make major changes to Killingworth Road by widening the road so it can accommodate better pedestrian pathways, cycle lanes, a bus lane and off-street parking for residents.

The retaining wall at the side of the road, currently in a poor state of repair, will be replaced.

At the same time, the council will work with Nexus to replace the Metro bridge with a wider bridge, allowing for the new, wider road. This will be done at the same time as Metro replace the tracks next summer.

Is this definitely going to happen?

Something is definitely going to happen at these junctions, but council officials say these specific proposals are still up for discussion.

They’re opening up a consultation process, which will take place both online and in a series of public meetings.

They say that comments from residents, councillors and local businesses will be taken on board, before they feedback about any changes to the proposals and send out the finalised plans for another consultation.

Why is it all happening?

The two roundabouts are notoriously busy, as well as dangerous, and the aim is to improve safety and reduce journey times.

Improvements to cycle paths and bus lanes are intended to encourage people to use more sustainable modes of transport for inner-city journeys, and to make travelling easier for the thousands of households throughout Newcastle who don’t have access to cars.

According to data released by the council, between 2010 and 2016 there have been 371 serious or slight collisions along the corridor which connects the junctions.

Planners also hope that by making it quicker and safer to use these main junctions they will reduce ‘rat-running’ through residential areas as access to and around the city centre will be improved.

Changes to Blue House roundabout will also make the Town Moor more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, with a tree-lined pathway running through and around the new roundabout.

How can I share my opinions about the plans?

The public and businesses are invited to have their say on the details of the proposals by visiting www.newcastle.gov.uk/roads from Monday, July 25.

A number of public events are also planned in areas which may be affected by the work, and council officers will be visiting major employment sites served by the roads to discuss the proposals.

The deadline for comments is August 21 for the first stage of consultation.

How much is it costing?

The council plans to spend £20m on the junctions.

This funding comes from a £60m pot of central Government funding, which is earmarked for highways investment and can only be used for that purpose.

How long will the work take?

Council officials say they won’t be able to offer a detailed timescale until the plans have been finalised.

This will happen after the four-week consultation has ended and planners have had time to consider public views on the proposals.